Iran Police Chief Extols Organization of February 11 Events

Head of Iran's national police forces announced that the February 11 ceremonies
were conducted under the supervision of a "single command unit" which resulted
in the "exuberant fifty-million people demonstration." Esmail Ahmadi Moghaddam
expressed satisfaction with the "coordinated efforts" of the unit.

Hundreds of buses were used to bring pro-government demonstrators to the
event venue in Tehran

On February 11, the anniversary of Iran's 1979
Revolution which supplanted the monarchy and established the Islamic Republic,
Iranians observed their annual custom of street demonstrations. This year
election protesters, who have been protesting for the past eight months against
the alleged fraud in the presidential election, had announced that they would
stage their own protests on this day. However, they were impeded from gathering
as they met with the fierce confrontation of police and security forces.

Satellite images of the day's events revealed that hundreds of buses were parked
along the streets around Azadi Square where Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave a speech on
that day. The opposition claim the vehicles were used to bus in government
supporters from provincial cities and towns.

Commander Ahmadi Moghaddam lashed out against
opposition leader Mehdi Karoubi who had announced to protesters the time and
location that he planned to join the demonstrations on February 11. Without
directly naming him, the police chief ridiculed the disputing candidates
announcement adding: "He thought we are going to just stand aside!"

Mehdi Karoubi's convoy was attacked by security and plain clothes forces. They
were subjected to tear gas bombs and even Karoubi's son, Ali Karoubi was briefly
detained and assaulted by an unidentified group. The opposition leader was
forced to leave the scene.

The police commander claimed that on February 11 "protesters did not come onto
the streets because those who are critical of the policies, do not want to mix
it with protests against the actual system."

Esmail Ahmadi Moghaddam also warned against collaboration with "foreign" media.
He claimed all these "collaborators" are under surveillance and their actions
are being recorded. "In time we will deal with them. Of course we hope that they
will reform their ways and dispense with any need for police involvement."

He claimed BBC and VOA are intelligence media of Britain and the US and
collaboration with them is akin to collaboration with the "enemy."